In recent years, local patient care has transformed in the operating room. Surgeons have been able to use robotic machines to perform minimally invasive surgeries with less recovery time for patients.
St. Vincent’s Medical Center Southside has gained international recognition for its success with robotic surgery.
It is the first hospital in the region and 55th in the world to receive accreditation as a Center of Excellence in robotic surgery from the Surgerical Review Corporation.
The OB/GYN physician who leads the program, Dr. Sonnie Kim-Ashchii, was also named the Surgeon of Excellence in robotic surgery.
These surgical robots are helping advance local healthcare. Some surgeons say they use these machines to perform less intrusive surgeries, creating shorter recovery times. How a local hospital is using this technology - ahead at 5 on @ActionNewsJax. pic.twitter.com/eMw6tZW6V2
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) March 6, 2019
“We do not open the patient anymore with a big incision because a big incision can lose a lot of blood, surgical infection and pain,” Kim-Ashchii said.
The robot is only able to assist on certain surgeries, and if the patient meets the criteria. The surgeries it assists with include OB/GYN operations, total knee placements, hernia repairs and weight loss surgeries.
For critics, Dr. Kim-Ashchii reassured she is in control of the surgery and uses the robot as a tool.
“The tip of my finger movement will be transmitted to the robot and it’s done exactly inside of the patient’s belly,” she said.
STORY: Robots threaten to take away jobs
She said this method will be less intrusive on the patient and create a shorter recovery for patients. As a result of less recovery, Kim-Ashchii argues this method will fight against the growing opioid addiction because patients will not need strong pain medicine.
“Pretty much ¾ of the patients go home on the same day, not much Percocet use,” she said. “So this is really revolutionary.”
"We do not open the patient anymore with a big incision because a big incision can lose a lot of blood, surgical infection and pain.”
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) March 6, 2019
Dr. Kim-Ashchii was named Surgeon of Excellence in robotic surgery. How she is using this technology to advance patient care - on @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/qThSL5mURF
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